Baked bread-loaf dispenser



April 22, 1941. H. WAITZMAN BAKED BREAD-LOAF DISPENSER Original Filed June 13, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR WAITZMAN HYMAN ATTORNEY April 22, 1941. H. WAlTZMAN BAKED BREAD-LOAF DISPENSER Original Filed June 15, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WAITZMAN. B\(@ M ATTORNEY HYMAN April 22, 1941. H. WAITZMAN BAKED BREAD-LOAF DISPENSER Original Filed June 13, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 7.

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TS TAI-I ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 22, 1941 2,239,17 6 BAKED BREAD-LOAF DISPENSER Hyman Waltzman, Yonkers, N. Y., asslgnor.t Purity Bakeries Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a. corporation of Delaware Original application June 13, 1938, Serial No.

213,400; Divided and this application January 25, 1939, Serial No. 252,749 4 7 Claims. (01.312-94) This invention relates generally to the dispensing of baked bread-loaves and the like, and is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 4 213,400, filed June 13, 1938, granted Feb. 21,1939, as U. S. Pat. 2,148,143,

It is common knowledge that the temperature and humidity of a baked bread-loaf and thatof the surrounding atmosphere are. constantly seeking adjustment-Jo reach a condition of equilibrium, as it',.may be said. Hence, baked breadl0 loaves, even though wrapped or doublewrapped. V

are afl'ected as to their freshness and softness a'nd eating qualities by the surrounding temperature and humidity and lose their softness and edibility and become hard and stale when permitted 110 remain for any great period upon, for instance,

the open display-counter of a grocer or other merchant or retailer, resultingin economic loss particularly to the baker.

My present invention hence has'for its object V ceptacle 8,, is an electric heating element 9 elec- .trically connected in series with a conventional manually regulable humidostat H and a main switch l0.

the provision of means for eliminating such loss for preserving and maintaining the softness and freshness of the baked loaf while displayed or stored for retail sale-for enabling the grocer or other retailer to furnish his customer. with 21- baked loaf of bread in good condition, with substantially all the inherent goodness, freshness, flavor, and texture present in and possessed by the loaf when it leaves the bakery.

Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged detail views, partly in section, of the machine, on the lines 88 and 9-9, respectively, Figure '7.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, the machine includes a preferably rectangular cabinet 01'- shell A having a rounded, more or less artistic top wall or dome a and supported on suitable legs a, the cabinet or shell A comprisinga front wall I, opposed parallel side, walls 2, 3, a rear wall 4, and abottom wall 5. Forming part of the bottom wall '5 is an open-top box-like compartment 6 provided'with'a pair of slide or trackmembers I for. shiftably accommodating a watercontainerjin the form of a suitable open-top receptacle or pan 8.

2 "As best seen in Figure 4, the walls of the compartment Gare preferably heat-insulated, and mounted inthe compartment 6 beneath there-- Also mounted on the bottom shell wall 5, as also bestseen in Figure 4, is a second electric heater element'll similarly connected in series witha conventional manually regulable thermostat T and the main switch ill.

And with the above and other objects in view, The shell front. wall i is provided adjacent its my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a reduced perspective. .view of a fresh-lo'af-maintaining and dispensing machine 1 e equipped at their free margins with co-operable of my invention;

Figure- 2 is a vertical sectional view of the machine, taken approximately along the line 4 2-2, Figure 1; v I Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the machine, taken approximately along the line 3-3, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the machine, taken approximately along the line 4-4, Figure 2';

Figure 5 illustrates diagrammatically the elecr tric wiring of the machine;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view of 'the' 0-.

held inclosure position by suitable wing-nuts or machine, taken approximately along the line 6-6, Figure 4; v

Figure 'l is as fragmentary elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of the machine; and

upper margin with a centrally positioned window l3 preferably equipped with a suitable shade member. l4; and formed in, and extending substantially across the entire width of, the wall I In the accompanying drawings 3 sheets), 5 beneath the window i3, is a filling aperture I5.

Hinged, as at h', upon the wall i for closure of the opening I5, is a. companion pair of doors {6 lock-members l1.

Also formed in the wall i beneath the fillingaperture I 5, is a dispensing aperture i8. Fixed on the wall l-at the lower marginof the opening l8, is "an outwardly and obliquely downwardly presented discharge chute l9, and hinged upon the wall'l at the upper margin of the opening i8, is a free swinging curtain-flap or the like 20 form- 7 ing, when closed, a substantially air-tight closure loathe-discharge opening l8.

The front wall 2! of the compartment 6 has an aperture normally closed by a cover 22 removably Fixed in the shell rear wall I, is a suitable electrical connector member or socket 24 having electrical connectionthrough a flexible conductor 25 with the switch Ill and the electrical heatingmembers or elements 9, ll.

Journaled at its ends in, and extending transversely between, the opposed shell side walls 2, 3, is a main shaft 29, fixed upon which adjacent its opposite ends, are hub-members 30 supporting disc-shaped parallel end-plates 3|, and also fixed on the shaft 23 adjacent the mid-point thereof, is a pair of parallel intermediate disc-shaped plates 32 Arranged in a uniformly spaced circumferential series between respective pairs of the plates 3|, 32, is a plurality of radially extending spacerplates 33, each provided adjacent its inner margin with four uniformly spaced circular apertures 34, the apertures 34 of one plate 33 being in circumferential alignment or registration with the apertures 34 of the other plates 33 of the series for receiving a plurality of annular bars 35, thus providing a pair of adjacent skeleton drums or wheels B having a plurality of open radial pockets, each of suitable dimensions for receiving a baked bread-loaf or the like. As best seen in Figures 2 and 4 and for purposes presently more fully appearlng, however, the spacer or pocket-forming plates 33 of one drum or wheel B are positioned in such alignment with respect to the corresponding spacer or pocket-forming plates 33 of the companion drum or wheel B as to present a so-called staggered appearance, the plates 33 of one drum B terminating midway between the plates 33 of the other drum B.

Fixed to one of the hubs 3|! for rotation with the shaft 29, is a ratchet-wheel 38, co-operable with which is a ratchet pin 31 fixed between a pair spaced parallel pull bars 38 normally urged downwardly by means of a tension spring 39 and pivotally connected at their outer end to the vertical leg 40 of a bell crank 4|, the horizontal leg 42 of which extends outwardly through a slot 43 in the cabinet front wall I and terminates in an outwardly extended handle 44, the bell crank 4| being normally held in upwardly disposed position by means of a tension spring 45.

The ratchet wheel 35 is also provided with a circumierentially spaced series of pins 35 each radially aligned with, and corresponding to, a

ratchet tooth. Pivotally mounted on a part of i the cabinet A, as best seen in Figure 7, is a dog 31' having a wedge-shaped projection 31" for snug-fitting disposition between any two of the pins 35', and being provided intermediate its ends with a pivoted latch bar 35' latchingly engageable, as shown in Figure 7, with a latch-pin 35 and a lift-pin 45', both mounted in spaced horimntal alignment on the vertical leg 40 of the bell crank 4|, the latch bar 33' being resiliently urged downwardly by means of a tension spring 4|.

It will be seen that, as the handle 44 is pulled downwardly to its lower limit of travel, the bell crank 4| will swing the pull-bars 3| forwardly and the pin 35' will pull the latch bar 35 forwardly, rocking the dog 31' out of engagement with the pins 35'. thereby eflecting, through the pin 31, rotatory movement of the ratchet wheel 34 and its associated shaft 25 and bread-supporting drums B through a predetermined distance. As the bell crank 4| reaches the limit of its travel, the lift-pin 44' will raise and release the latch bar 33', thereby permitting the dog 31' to return to initial position with its projection 31" disposed between the next succeeding pair of pins 33', as best seen in Figure 7, for thus permitting only one loaf of bread to be discharged for each movement of the handle 44.

Fixed to the other or opposite hub 30, is a large toothed wheel 45 having connection by means of a sprocket chain 41 with a small pinion 48 fixed on one end of a short shaft 49 journaled between the shell side wall 2 and a cross-rib or beam 50 suitably fixed in the upper portion of the cabinet or shell A, as best seen in Figure 3. Fixed on the shaft 43, is a driving gear 5| operably connected through a suitable train of gears 52 to a short belt conveyer 53, in turn, operatively trained over suitable rollers 54 journaled between the beam 55 and an opposed parallel cross beam or rib 55.

Suitably mounted on and carried for movement by the belt 53, is a plurality or series of so-called dummy" loaves 5B simulating or imitating in appearance the genuine baked bread-loaves to be dispensed, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4, so relatively positioned that one thereof, now designoted 56, will be initially visually disposed in upright arrangement in front of the window l3. It will be evident, however, that, upon a single actuation of the handle 44,the toothed wheel 46 will be rotated and through the chain 41 will drive the belt 53 forwardly a suflicient distance to drop'the imitative loaf 56 from the position shown at b to the position shown at b in Figure 4.

Suitably fixed within the cabinet or shell A, is a semi-cylindrical frame C composed of a plurality of arcuate preferably metallic ribbonmembers 58 secured at one end, as by screws 59, to the shell rear wall 4 and at their other end being bent outwardly and downwardly'over, and suitably fixed to, the chute IS, the frame 0 thus not only partially surrounding the periphery of the drums B for loaf-retaining co-operation therewith,- but also providing a slide, as at 50, for facilitating successive delivery of the loaves from the respective shells or drums B to and upon the chute i9, all as best seen in Figure 4.

In use and practice, the machine is stationed suitably within the grocery-store or other retail baked bread-loaf dispensing establishment or the like. Access being afforded by means of the doors l6, the baked loaves or the like to be dispensed are placed or stored within the pockets of the drums B by the bakery representative, the

, drums B being suitably actuated for facilitating loading. Now, as will be readily understood by reference to Figure 4, each movement of the handle 44 will rotarily advance the bread-holding drums B half a space, and the carried or stored bread-loaves will alternately be delivered in succession from first one drum and then from the other, the series of bread-pockets of the drums B being, as previously stated, in staggered rela tion. Thus. as the several drum-pockets move successively into juxtaposed alignment with the delivery aperture II, a particular spacer plate 33 will come into radial alignment with the de livery slide 45 and a single bread-loaf will travel downwardly out of such particular pocket and across the delivery slide 50, the discharging loaf swinging the curtain flap 2| upwardly and traveling from shell A out onto the chute I9, where it may be readily picked up by the customer.

When the customer approaches the machine, one of the imitative loaves 56, as, for instance, the dummy-loaf 55, is visible through the window l3, giving the customer an opportunity of seemingly viewing the genuine loaf which he or she is about to purchase. when the handle 44 aasarrs is pulled down, the drums Bbegin to rotataand such movement is transmitted through the chain I! to .thebelt BI, whereupon the. imitative loaf St moves quickly forwardly and downwardly away from the sight-opening or window ll. At

approximately the-same time, the rear or genuine loaf, which the customer is purchasing, is discharged and accessibly delivered on the chute i9. The-several imitative loaves 56 are disposed on the belt 53 in timed relation with rotary accordingly.

Now, if the machine were merely a dispensing or vending machine, the stored bread-loaves would more or less quickly, through a substantially spontaneous equilibrium movement of the air within and without the cabinet A, lose their freshness and desirable eating qualities. Hence, the cabinet A is uniquely equipped, as described, for surrounding the usually wrapped stored bread-loaves with moisture-laden atmosphere of proper degree of temperature for maintaining such loaves in substantially the same condition as when stored, irrespective of the atmospheric conditions surrounding the cabinet A itself.

Accordingly, the drums B being filled and the doors l6 closed, the receptacle 8 is water filled to the proper level and the connector plug 24 connected in any suitable manner to any conventional available source of electrical current (not shown). The heating element 9 under control of, thehumidostat H thereupon generates sufficient heat to produce within the cabinet A a controlled and limited amount of evaporation from the pan 8, so that the entire interior of the cabinet or shell A becomes humidified. Similarly the heater Ii under control of the thermostat T will generate sumcient dry heat, whereby the temperature is, at the same time, maintained at the desired degree. I have found in this connection that the optimum temperature and humidity conditions are such that the wet bulb temperature should be 80 F.- and the dry bulb temperature 85 F., and that, so long as the temperature differential between the wet and dry bulb thermometer is held substantially at five degrees, the temperature range maintained within the cabinet or shell A may be varied from 80 F. to 110 F. without seriously impairing the stored bread-loaves.

stored, so that, when the stored loaves are discharged from the cabinet A, the successively delivered loaves possess substantially all the goodness-all the freshness-softness-flavorand other desirable eating qualities that the baker endeavors so earnestly and persistently to give his bread.

I may add that, to retard or kill mold growth that might possibly develop within the cabinet A by reason of the contained high temperature and (not shown).

high relative humidity,-.tb effect asubstantially sterile atmosphere within the cabinet A,'I mount within the cabinet .A, at any suitable free space. preferably near the top, an ultra-violet ray generator D constructed in any conventional manner, having the usual quartz window 11 and being connected to any suitable power source As bestseen in Figure .4, the drum walls or discs 3| and 32 are formedwith cut-outs or the like 8!, which, with the skeletonform of the drums-B, freely expose the stored bread-loaves to the atmospheric conditions within the cabinet.

' Preferably, as best seen in Figure 4, an'arcuate wall to is suitably providedwithin the cabinet A to prevent accidental displacement of the carried bread-loaves as the drums B rotate, and it should be understood that changes and modifications in the machine and method may be made and substituted herein without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a baked-loaf dispensing machine including a shell having a discharge opening, a loafsupporting rack comprising a plurality of staggered radial pockets mounted for rotation in the shell, means for actuating the rack comprising a ratchet wheel operably connected with the rack and manually operable pawl-means for advancing said ratchet, and stop-means actuable responsive to movement of the pawl for restricting the movement of the ratchet to rotating the rack a distance equal to one-half the circumferential width of a pocket for each actuation of the pawl for successively registering the staggered pockets with said opening for loafdischarge.

2. In a baked-loaf dispensing machine including a shell having a discharge opening, a loafsupporting rack comprising two axially spaced annular series of staggered radial pockets mounted for rotation in the shell, means for actuating the rack comprising a ratchet wheel operably connected with the rack and a manually operable pawl for advancing said ratchet, and stop-means actuable responsive to movement of the pawl for restricting the movement.

of the ratchet .to rotating the rack equal to onehalf the circumferential width of a pocket for each actuation of the pawl for successively registering the staggered pockets with said opening for loaf-discharge.

3. An article dispensing machine comprising a shell having separate discharge and display openings, an article supporting rack mounted for movement in the shell for successive discharge of the supported genuine articles from the shell at said discharge-opening, a series of imitation articles mounted for movement on the shell, and means for disposing the imitative articles into successive visual registration with the display-opening prior to the discharge of a genuine article from the shell.

4. A baked bread-loaf dispensing machine comprising a shell having separate discharge and display openings, bread-loaf supporting means operably mounted for rotary movement in the shell, means for shifting said supporting means for successive discharge of the supported loaves from the shell at the discharge-opening, a plurality of dummy bread-loaves, and means for moving a single dummy loaf into display-registration with the display-opening.

5. A baked bread-loaf dispensing machine comprising a shell having separate discharge and display openings, means operably mounted for rotary movement in the shell i'or'supporting the bread-loaves to be dispensed, actuating means for shifting said supporting means for successive discharge oi the supported loaves from the shell at said discharge-opening, a. plurality of dummy bread-loaves, and means driven by the actuating means for successively moving the dummy loaves into visual registration with the display-opening.

6. A baked bread-loaf dispensing. machine comprising a shell having separate discharge and display openings, bread-loaf supporting means operably mounted for rotary movement in the shell, means for shifting said supporting means for successive discharge 0! the supported loaves from the shell at the discharge-opening, a plurality of dummy loaves, and means driven in predetermined timed relation to the movement or the bread-loaf supporting means for moving a single dummy loaf into display-registration with the display-opening.

7. A baked-loaf dispensing machine including a shell having a discharge opening, aloat-supporting rack including a shaft, an axially spaced pair of disc-like members concentrically mounted upon the shaft, a plurality of radially disposed circurni'erentially spaced separator plates mounted at their ends in and extending longitudinally between the opposed faces of the pairs of disc-like members, a plurality of axially spaced ring members mounted in and extending through the separator plates concentric with the shaft in the formation of a plurality of pockets, the pockets of one pair or disc-like members being staggered with respect to the pockets of the other pair of disc-like members, means for rotating the rack for successively registering the staggered pockets with the opening for loaf discharging.

HYMAN WAITZMAN. 

